4 more sleeps

No it's not my birthday in four more sleeps, i'm not getting a new car (even though I desperately need one), i'm not going on holidays and i'm not just excited about the fact that it's Friday in four more sleeps.

I'm excited because it's four more sleeps until I go and see Powderfinger in concert. Yes their last concert *sad face* I still can't believe they're going their seperate ways. I hate change and I hate the ending to anything. I'm not good when i'm reading a really good book and then you finish it, and it's over. I hate it when a good movie finishes. I like things to go on forever and especially things I love. Like the end of a good block of chocolate. But unfortunately in life things have to change and everything has to come to an end and great bands are no exception. I just wish it wasn't Powderfinger. I've loved them for as long as I can remember and in fact i've appreciated them more in the last 6-7 years than ever before so it's even more depressing. But i'm also super excited that i'll be going to their last ever concert. Let's just hope they don't pull a John Farnham and do a "Last Tour" five times over.

But like all great bands their music will live on forever. And let's face it, it's not like Bernard Fanning is dying or anything. Let's hope they all go on to bigger and better things. I'm sure Bernard will have an amazing solo career. Gosh I love these guys. And they're even cooler because they're a Queensland band. They actually started in Brisbane back in the late 80's. So they've been around for as long as i've been in Australia.



In fact I actually liked Bernard Fanning's 'Tea and Sympathy' album with great songs like "Wish You Well" "Watch over me" and "Songbird" just as much as some of Powderfinger's classics.

Someone asked me the other day what my favourite Powderfinger song is and I straight away said "These Days". Not only because this song has always been a favourite but also because right now it's so appropriate to the things going on in my life.



But then straight away I felt like i'd been unfair to other amazing Powderfinger songs like "My Happiness"



And another favourite "Nobody Sees"



And who could forget "Lost & Running"



Not to mention so many others like "Burn your name" "Love Your Way" "My Kind Of Scene" "Bless my soul" "Passenger" "Sunsets" and of course "Since you've been gone"

So the answer is there is no way I could ever possibly pick a favourite. I love every single one of them. And i'm sure there is one I haven't mentioned that I also love.

So come Friday night i'll be seeing my very first and also very last Powderfinger concert. I am so excited, it's going to be a very bittersweet night.

This is actually going to be the first of three concerts i'm going to see this year. I've also got tickets to Jack Johnson and Bon Jovi in December. Oh gosh, don't get me start on Jack Johnson. That's an entire blog entry on it's own.

iPhone iLove

It's Saturday afternoon. One little boy is snoozing the afternoon away and the other is quietly doing puzzles. The silence is bliss. For one reason, I have a shocking headache and the other reason is that it gives me some time to spend with my new toy.



Yes I caved under the pressure and finally got on the iPhone bandwagon. So not only can I now actually get reception at my house but I can also have a phone conversation without it cutting out a million times and costing me a small fortune having to call everyone back. I've never really been in to gadgets or very good with technology in general for that matter so when my phone company offered me an iPhone last year I actually decided to go for more of a practical phone because at the time I was running a small business on my phone and needed something simple and not some silly gadget phone as I once thought. Boy was I wrong. I love gadgets now. Well my shiny new iPhone 4 anyway. I shouldn't get too carried away because let's face it I didn't even know how to use my new laptop when I first got that either. And then I thought I was really moving with the times when I got myself a Facebook account. And then there is this blog. I'm definitely moving with the times now. Maybe I should look for a job in IT. Okay yes that's probably going too far, do you think?

So yes I now know what all my friends are talking about when they discuss apps or use words like Syncing, Shazam, Angry Birds or Words with Friends. I'm also loving how wonderful my calendar is. I'll never miss another appointment ever again. Although it's definitely a time waster as I can now use my phone to chat on Messenger to my friends and family overseas whenever I want.

In fact i'm even typing this blog entry on my phone.

Technology has certainly come a long way. I can't even imagine what kind of gadgets will be available to my boys generation in another 20 years. Maybe by then the iPhone will be able to cook dinner, make beds and even put a load of washing on. Now that's the kind of phone I want!

Wordless Wednesday

So yes I know it's in fact Thursday but yesterday was rather crazy for me. So Wordless Thursday it is. It just doesn't have the same ring to it does it.

Cooper and his new best mate from kindy Dylan. They have such a lovely relationship and just adore each other. Fingers crossed they may even be going to the same school next year.



Hmmm well that wasn't exactly wordless was it.
Maybe I should have called it "a few words Thursday"

What a weekend

WOW!!

What a weekend!

Now i'm not talking about the fact that I spent an hour on Saturday morning cleaning muddy footprints from all over my floor because Master B thought it would be a good idea to come in from the garden with his gum boots on.

Nor am I talking about the fact that I burnt what could have been a very nice batch of Blueberry muffins because I got distracted with cleaning up the muddy footprints.

I am talking about this

What the ??

Now some are saying it was a historical weekend and that the people have spoken and they want to see some changes from our politicians. They want to be heard, well were they heard ?

Or was it just a complete disaster ? Democracy gone wrong ? A nation divided ? I think everyone can be their own judge on this one.

It's definitely going to be an interesting few weeks that's for sure. What I would give to be a fly on the wall in Julia Gillard's or Tony Abbott's offices this week.



Now I know many people think that Politics is a very serious matter, at times I agree with them. But mostly, politicians themselves are laughable, usually at the brunt of many jokes. And I can find the humour in most things.

So I thought i'd share this with you. If we don't laugh, we'd cry right ?

Curried Chicken Sausages

This recipe has become a regular family favourite in our house. It was actually from a weight loss recipe book that one of the girls at my boys kindy suggested as her boys love it and she was spot on. Not only does it taste fantastic, it's low in calories. Gotta love that. It's also super easy and freezes really well. Now i've made this with both regular chicken sausages (organic of course) and also chicken chipolatas and I find the chipolatas work the best. Plus the kids prefer the idea of having 'baby sausages' as they call them. Last night I just used the Macro Organic Chicken Sausages which you can buy from Woolworths.

Curried Chicken Sausages

8-10 Chicken Sausages
1 packet of Dutch Curry & Rice Soup
1 tablespoon Butter
1 onion, chopped finely
1 carrot, grated
1 Zucchini, grated
Curry powder to taste
1 tin Evaporated Milk

Instead of the Evaporated Milk I use this Carnation Light & Creamy with the coconut flavouring because it's so.... much nicer and has very little fat content



Brown sausages in frypan, set aside.
Saute butter, onion, carrot & curry powder in saucepan.
Add soup mix made up with water (check the back of the pack)
Add zucchini, bring to the boil.
Simmer and add the sausages.
Add the evaporated milk before serving.

Now I actually bought the wrong soup mix this week and accidently got this one, which is the cup of soup but it still worked out fine I just added both sachets and mixed it with 500ml of water.



I've also made a vegetarian version of this and used chunky vegetables instead of the chicken sausages. It's very versatile. I have also used the left over curry mix and added it to some quinoa and mixed vegetables for a different meal all together.

You can serve it over rice or quinoa and or even on the side with mashed potato.



Enjoy.

Acupuncture

I had my first treatment of Acupuncture this morning and i'm very hopeful.
Well I have to be don't I.

I've always preferred eastern medicine over western as this is the way I was brought up. I'll always try an alternative natural therapy before I will pop a pill which I guess is why my body as responded so quickly to these pain killers because it's just not used to something so foreign. In saying that they're making me very nauseas and I hate the way they make me feel but I know right now they're the only way i'm getting through the day. My concern is that I don't want to spend the rest of my days relying on pain killers which is why I have to get on top of this pain and find a way to manage it because let's face it i'm always going to have lower back issues because my discs are so damaged.


I feel fantastic after my first session so I definitely have high hopes. I actually fell asleep during my treatment, it was so relaxing. They definitely must have realigned my Chi. I really do sound like a pro now don't I. Not convinced ? Well are you feeling a bit down? Maybe your 'chakras' need realigning or your posture changed ? I was reading something recently about how important the health of your spine is in relation to your general health and wellbeing. Something that the wise old china man Kelvin Xu (my accupuncturist) said today really resonated with me. That you are your own best doctor. Nobody knows your body like you do. It really is so true.

I just wanted to finish off this blog entry with something else I read recently from Roger Moore who is a well-known holistic/intuitive therapist who works in this amazing retreat in Phuket, Thailand. Another good reason to go back to Thailand.

"Most health problems arise from not taking care of simple things such as posture. Poor posture cuts off energy. A lot of people don't know how to move correctly and this affects their chi energy flow in their whole body. And it's important that people realise and make changes. Taking care of your health is something you have to work at with ongoing effort. I can show each person how to do this for the rest of their lives."

Definitely some good food for thought. Considering everything i'm going through in my life at the moment this is something good and positive to focus on.

Dear Santa

Dear Santa

I know what I want for Christmas. I promise i've been a good girl this year. Well ok for most of the year I have. I promose to be a good girl for the rest of the year if you bring me one of these.



Is it too much to ask ??

I need a holiday

Right now I could really do with some of this



Oh and of course some of this



And this would just top it off perfectly



I've had a shocking weekend and i'm struggling to stay afloat. I ended up in hospital on Saturday night with my back finally giving way. I'm not even 30 and i've got the back of a 60 year old. It's just not fair. I was in hospital for only an hour when I got a phone call to say that Blake had taken a fall at home and was on his way in too because he had cut the back of his head open. Thankfully it wasn't too bad and he was his normal cheerful self. But i'm a bloody mess. I'm in so much pain, even with these pain killers it's just horrible. I hate how they make me feel but I know I have to take them. In hospital they gave me an anti-inflammatory injection which seemed to help quite a lot but it must have started to wear off because the pain seems worse today than it did yesterday. They have ordered me to have bed rest which is quite obviously not going to happen with a 4 and 2 year old in tow. I feel really helpless and the pain is starting to grate at my every being. It's been 8 long weeks of pain but this is just horrid now.

I need a holiday............

Have a laugh

A friend of mine emailed this to me last night and I really wanted to share it with you. It made my day. Out of the mouths of babes.

I was out walking with my 4 year old daughter. She picked up something off the ground and started to put it in her mouth. I took the item away from her and I asked her not to do that.
"Why?" my daughter asked.
"Because it's been on the ground, you don't know where it's been, it's dirty and probably has germs" I replied.
At this point my daughter looked at me with total admiration and asked "Mummy, how do you know all this stuff, you are so smart."
I was thinking quickly "All Mums know this stuff. It's on the Mummy Test. You have to know it or they don't let you be a Mummy"
We walked along in silence for 2 or 3 minutes but she was evidently pondering this new information.
"Oh... I get it" she beamed. "So if you don't pass the test you have to be the Daddy."
"Exactly" I replied back with a big smile on my face.

Where has the tractor gone ?

Where has the tractor gone ?
When is the tractor coming back ?
Is the tractor coming today ?
Do you think the tractor will ever come back ?
What time is the tractor coming ?

These are the kinds of things i've been listening to since Saturday morning. Do you think my boys liked the idea of having a real life sized tractor in their front yard on Friday ? It really is every little boys dream.

We're finally having our front and back landscaping finished off at the house before it goes on the market and the landscapers turned up on Friday to do our front sandstone retaining wall. Well my two little men couldn't contain themselves.

They spent most of the day like this



Desperate to get their hands on this tractor. They were so excited they were nearly bursting at the seams and when the tractor finally came to a stop later that afternoon I finally let me outside to have a close up look and kindly the operator let them both sit on it. Well that was it, they never wanted to leave. I'm sure Cooper would have been delighted if I had of let him sleep on it for the night. I pictured him sitting outside on this tractor in his sleeping bag, not wanting to let go. The boys had a blast pushing every button and touching every leaver and of course my boys being boys had just has much fun playing in the dirt and mud that the tractor had left behind.





They both had grins from ear to ear that where nearly bursting of their faces. It was such a delight to see how excited something as simple as a tractor could make them. Life really is all about the small things isn't it. I love seeing moments like this through my kids eyes.



So our 'tractor man' was supposed to finish off the wall this week but we've had horrible weather ever since. In fact it's been pouring down here. We're hoping he might make it back tomorrow to finish off. So are you the boys!

I'm really happy with how it's looking so far.

Gran's 80th

It was the boys great-grandmothers 80th birthday last week and we had a lunch on Saturday to celebrate.

Lorna has two kids of her own, seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren so it was a lovely celebration of her family and the life that she has created. She had friends there that she has been friends with for most of her life. It really was amazing to see.

This is the drawing that Cooper did for his beloved Gran.



Lorna with all of her great-grandchildren



I love this photo of Blake with Ayzsha. They are 2nd cousins and hardly ever get to see each other but when they do they have a ball together. Ayz dotes on my boys and they love it.

Blissful Sunday's

I think Sunday is my favourite day of the week. Although I really enjoy Friday's as well. I love the anticipation of the weekend ahead. Almost everyone is in a good mood on Friday's.

Anyway we've been making a real effort to make the most of our Sunday's lately. Last weekend we spent the day with some lovely friends and ended up having an impromptu street party in our area with four families. The kids had a blast riding their bikes and the parents enjoyed the day equally chatting and getting to know each other over a few drinks. We then spent the afternoon and in to the evening last Sunday at my parents place. Mum and Dad live on 2 acres and the kids love spending time up there. They've recently built this amazing fire pit which is great for entertaining and cooking the odd vegie burger on but the best thing about the fire pit according to my boys is toasting marshmallows on it. I have to agree. So we spent a glorious few hours sitting in front of the fire with our marshmallows in hand. The boys were mesmerized with the flames and yet still cautious of the immense heat coming from it.




Pappy and his two grandsons.



Look at the bliss on this gorgeous boys face.




Yesterday we had yet another glorious Sunday. The boys and I spent the morning baking Chocolate Chip Cookies to take down to Nanna & Pa's house as we had a lunch date down there as their was some family visiting from Melbourne. I was actually road testing a new recipe for these gluten free cookies and I was more than impressed with how they turned out. As were the guests who devoured them. So quickly in fact that I didn't get to a chance to take a photo of the final product.

They were super easy and Cooper made a tray and I made a tray. Can you guess which ones were his ???




Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

* 125g softened butter
* 1/2 cup caster sugar
* 1/2 cup brown sugar
* 1 tsp vanilla extract
* 1 egg
* 1 3/4 cups GF Self Raising Flour
* 3/4 cup milk chocolate bits

Preheat oven to 160°C. Line 2 baking trays with non-stick paper. Beat softened butter, 1/2 cup caster sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1 tsp vanilla extract for 1-2 minutes or until smooth and well combined. Beat in 1 egg.



Stir in flour in two batches. Stir in milk choc bits until evenly distributed. Spoon tablespoonfuls of the mixture into balls and place on the lined trays. Press down slightly.



Bake for 15-18 minutes or until light golden and cooked. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Well ours didn't last for 1 week. In fact they didn't even last for an hour. I was a little worried about them being too crumbly and dry because I used the GF flour and didn't add anything else to bind them but they weren't at all.

I love Sunday's!!

Hello old friend

So it's been a whole week since my last entry and I tell you what it's been a jam packed week at that.

I've been MIA and to tell you the truth it's because i'm cheating on my blog ......................................................................................... with a book.



I had a super relaxing weekend actually. My weekends are normally so hectic taken up with functions to attend, kids birthday parties, family gatherings or playdates with the kids and I never really get much time to myself or even just some down time. So on Saturday the boys Dad took them for the day and my intentions were to get loads of housework done. Let's just say that didn't happen. My intentions were good but about an hour in to my day of spring cleaning, ok so winter cleaning I was distracted yet again by the latest book that has captured most of my attention of late.

I have re-discovered my love for reading. Sounds completely crazy I know but I used to be an avid reader. Although that was about 2-3 years BC (Before Children) And ever since I had children it's just something that i've not been able to get in too. I'll never forget trying to read a book just after Cooper was born. It was "Marley & Me" by John Grogan. My girlfriend lent it to me and once again my intentions were good but I just couldn't get in to it. I remember reading chapter after chapter and not even really taking it in. I ended up reading the book twice just so that I could really take it in. I know they say that having babies takes away your brain cells, and well, it was true for me. I had the attention span of a goldfish. I've since read the odd book in the last 4 years but never really been able to fall in love with reading again. Until recently. My girlfriends all laugh at me because for the last two years i've given them a lot of lip about their obsession over these "Twilight" books and even my best friend who is a true Twihard fan couldn't understand why I didn't want to know anything about it. I'm just not in to books about Vampires and Werewolves I would say to them. Well let me tell you I am now. I made the mistake of doing exactly what they all did 2 years ago and so began my obsession. I read Twilight and New Moon in a week and i've just finished off Eclipse. I am almost too scared to start Breaking Dawn because I don't want this lovely fantasy that I have going on in my head to end.

So anyway back to the whole point was that Saturday after attempting to clean I ended up spending an entire day in my cosy arm chair basking in the sun reading. It was pure heaven. No distractions. Just me and my book. No nagging little men asking for yet more food or demanding my attention. Just me and my book. It was complete and utter bliss. Then on Saturday night I ended up reading a book that I had actually fallen in love with just after I had Blake in 2008 called "Eat Pray Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert. I enjoyed it even more the second time round. I can relate to so much in that book.

So i've since digged out all of my old books and i've been reacquainting myself with some old faces. I even ordered a heap of books that i've been recommended too so they should arrive next week, well I hope so anyway. I can't wait to get my teeth in to them, so to speak.

There goes a clean and tidy house, reading here I come.